Shalu Pokharel: September CPI Intern of the Month

Shalu Pokharel is a sociology major who interned with Elevate Empire, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering communities to actively participate in safeguarding children. During her internship, Pokharel supported projects focused on advocacy, education and systems change, including the development of the #RePowerYOUth Action Caucus and contributions to grant writing.

The #RePowerYOUth Action Caucus is designed to support young people navigating complex systems and remind youth and members of marginalized communities of the power they already possess. Through her work on the initiative, Pokharel connected with individuals throughout Idaho and contributed to a team committed to creating meaningful change in the communities it serves.

Pokharel also played an instrumental role in developing the Human Trafficking Education Index, a first-of-its-kind tool that uses community knowledge and awareness to inform proactive, multidisciplinary policy recommendations. She went above and beyond by inviting individuals from her home country of Nepal to participate in the project’s survey. Their participation expanded the project’s international and cross-cultural data and provided valuable opportunities for demographic comparison.

Her internship supervisor praised the thoughtfulness and nuance Pokharel brought to critical conversations, as well as her positive attitude and willingness to receive constructive feedback.

“I cannot say enough great things about Shalu,” said Aide Moore, founder of Elevate Empire and Pokharel’s supervisor. “It is very refreshing to work with young people like Shalu who are ready to accept the torch.”

For Pokharel, the internship provided a deeper understanding of how systems affect individuals and communities.

“This internship taught me to look beyond symptoms and understand the root causes that lie within the system,” she said. “It gave my goal of attending law school new perspective, real meaning and purpose.”

Originally from Nepal, Pokharel expects to graduate in spring 2027. She plans to attend law school and focus her career on advocacy and systems change. Outside of her academic and professional work, she enjoys sketching and hiking. Although her formal internship placement has concluded, Pokharel continues to volunteer with Elevate Empire because, in her words, “this work matters too much to walk away from it.”